slowly spring

Last Saturday was the annual sale at the local quilt store.  I just had to go, natch.  I told my Mom that I don't know what I was expecting -  a marching band and banners or something?  I was a little disappointed.  I know I was expecting everything to be on sale, and I'm not sure where I even got that idea because they never said ahead of time what the sale was.  Anyhoo, I didn't leave empty handed.  They had bolts on sale for 60% if you could find one with a red star stamp on the top.  I found a couple that I thought would mix in with stuff well, it was a 1 yard minimum on those so I'm set if I need orange or yellow :)

Everything else was a half yard minimum that day so I picked a couple other prints that I really love, and the Christmas is a fat quarter that was precut. I'm not allowed to start anything new yet, but when I do I'm sure these prints will be part of it!
The one thing I did make last week, which I didn't get a picture of for some reason (!) was a mug rug that I mailed off with my embroidery for the Wild Olive Stitch Swap. Here's Rocky, who likes to hang out under my sewing table whilst I'm in the craft house. Sorry about the mess, but bits of fabric and whatnot just find their way onto the floor somehow :) I'm pretty sure I'm not alone there!
And, do you want to see what the first day of Spring looked like here? LOL you're going to love it:

You can see Rocky running along the fence behind the chair :) The day before was clear, cold, but clear. Then there was all this snow over night! And, then by the end of the day ALL of it had melted off! You just never know around here what you'll wake up to!
In other news, I finished the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series called Mockingjay. It was really good, as were the other 2 in the series. I liked how it ended although there was one relationship that didn't quite have the closure I would have expected even though it did make sense. I was hoping that she would end up with who she ended up with, so that was nice :) Tomorrow Jan and I are going to see the movie! I'm really hoping it's good. I'm wondering how they are going to do certain scenes! I think that's part of the fun of reading a book before the movie, you know how you picture things in your head and then to see someone else's interpretation....
I am going to start quilting the granny squares quilt today, it's all pinned up in a quilt sandwich waiting for me! What is everyone else up to this weekend??

almost spring

Yikes, this is a long post!  Okay, so I finished the granny square quilt top last weekend, here it is:


and here's my attempt at an artsy angle *grin*

It was a blustery day and kind of shadowy in the back yard, so I didn't get great pics, but you get the idea.  So I added a thin border of more scraps.  If you remember, my Mom gave me a giant bag of scraps this last Fall I think it was and there were a lot of long thing pieces that sort of made me think they were binding extras.  So I trimmed down a bunch to 1.5" and then just randomly put them together in long strips.  I like the way it turned out.  I wasn't sure at first, but once I got it all put together then it kind of made the center even more colorful, if that's possible?  I do have the back sewn together but just haven't quite had the ooompf to tape it all down to the floor and pin it together.  I have linked up with the Stitched in Color Festival of Scrapiness. 
In other crafting news I joined an embroidery swap, I think I mentioned it previously.  It took me awhile to think of something I'd like to stitch up.  I have to admit I was completely intimidated by the work others have done that are also participating.  I thought of doing a pattern....but then I felt like it wouldn't really represent me.  I don't know, maybe that sounds pretentious or something and I don't mean it that way.  Anyway, I started doodling, and came up with this:

I bought some stickers last weekend that had little bunnies and also some pinwheels and then I thought, what if there was a happy little bunny holding a pinwheel?  I like to think of little stories as I stitch things and so I had fun putting this together.  I also now have in mind to recreate my bunny painting wreath into an embroidery.  And, when it's something for me then I won't feel badly making the bunny a fun color like lime green :)  heee, heee.  I also stiched up a mug rug to put along with this, I'm going to redo the binding because I feel like it came out too thick.  I hope she likes it!
I'm also working on a knitting project, a knitted bunny.  So far I have the body and 2 legs.  Once it's done I'm going to knit it a sweater, because you know how bunnies need sweaters right?  lol.  Oh yes, here is a pic of the fabric I picked up last weekend.

The stripey one is going to be the binding for the granny squares quilt, which I think is kind of perfect. All those colors. Also the stripe is on the bias and since I like to do a bias binding the stripe will come out well on the fold.
In other news, I finished the 2nd book in the Hunger Games series which is called Catching Fire.  I really liked it.  While in Barnes and Noble last weekend I read the end of the third book.  I've been on the waiting list at the library and couldn't stand it anymore!  I had to know how it all ends!  LOL I know this makes a lot of people crazy that I read the ends of things, but I can't help it and I will still read it :)
Today I made banana bread, and man it turned out GOOD!  This is my first time making banana bread, shocking I know.  I've made tons of zucchini, squash, pumpkin and even persimmon bread.  It's the same recipe except with 2 cups of banana.

Bread:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup oil (or can sub applesauce or crushed pineapple)
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups bananas (or whatever like zucchini, pumpkin puree.....)
walnuts are optional, it's also fun to add stuff like raisins, shredded coconut, cranberries

I put all the dry ingredients up till the nutmeg in one bowl and mix it all around.  In another bowl I add everything from the eggs down.  Before adding the bananas I mix everything with a handheld mixer, then slowly add in the banana and mix with the mixer.  This is very tricky when using shredded zucchini and I don't recommend mixing with zucchini, but do mix before zucchini.  Once that's all mixed together and nice and smooth add in the dry ingredients.  Mix well.  I spray two glass bread pans with nonstick spray and then divide the contents of bowl between the two pans.  Bake at 350 for approximately an hour.  I usually start checking on it about 45-50 minutes.  You don't want to over bake.  Cool on wire racks.

mmm, delish!  This is like the easiest recipe.  You can also sub sugar for 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup honey if you want to try that.  Or sub margarine for oil.  Basically I play around with things a lot and so far haven't gotten anything grody.

Hope you have a great week!  Tuesday is the first day of Spring!

blah blah

Just checking in to let you know I'm still around.  I've had a very annoying cold that has just wiped me out!  I have just been soooo exhausted.  Rest assured that I have still been sewing in small increments of time....I just don't have anything exciting to show yet.  Yesterday I drove over to Medford and spent the day shopping, something I don't normally do.  But, the weather was nice and a road trip beckoned.  There's a store over there that I could definitely spend waayyy too much money in, Craft Warehouse.  It's got fabric, moda quilting cotton variety, it's got scrapbooking, beads, yummy candles, and TONS of ideas, there was even the mesh I wanted to try for wreaths.  I was very restrained because I didn't have a focus of project, or color so I did pretty good.  I did get some nice fabric though.  The Joann's over there had some great fabric and I also bought a book, Quilting from little things by Sarah Fielke.  She's one of the authors from Material Obsession but this one was on her own. 
Oh, yah, I signed up for an embroidery swap at Wild Olive.  Um, I'm sort of feeling like what was I thinking?  I have no good ideas and I'm not even that great at embroidery....I'm sure it will work out fine but I don't want to disappoint my partner.  Like, I kind of want to do something with a gnome and toadstool, natch.  But then I keep thinking a bunny would be cute.  I don't even know.
Today I'm just chillin.  Went over to Jan's to let her dogs out while she's at a volleyball tourney.  It's kind of weird to be at your friends house when they aren't there.  It's been snowing off and on, not the kind that is sticking yet, but it might.  Oh, did I mention I was reading the Hunger Games series?  I'm on the waiting list at the library for the last book so yesterday while I was at Barnes and Noble I read the ending.  It ends pretty close to how I wanted it to :) and yes, I will still read the book and enjoy it.

more granny

Here's where I've ended up this weekend! I've finished my 30 squares that I was aiming for. These last ones went a lot quicker for me because I mapped out what color combos I wanted to do based on where they'd be on the quilt. I was just doing each one kind of fly by my pants seat method and then I'd be like I can't put this here because then I have two reds right next to each other, blah, blah. I'm pretty sure this is the final arrangement and then I will add the sashing. I almost wanted to just sew them together as is, but then realized that if everything didn't line up just so then it would drive me batty.

grannies and a recipe

And so, here's my twenty squares so far. I'm going to make more so I have rows that are 5 across and 6 long. I keep rearranging them, so they are different now than in this picture even. I like the way they are turning out, though! I've tried to stick with bolder colors with distinct variations between the center and outer squares.

Oh, and do you like my fancy new "design wall"? So last weekend at scrapbooking Connie and I were talking, she is also a quilter, and she mentioned her design wall. And, dang those green horns of jealousy came right on out! So I asked her how she made it because I wanted one, too. She said all it is is a vinyl tablecloth, the kind that have the flannel backing and she just pinned it up and the squares stick right on it! There you go, a design wall on the cheap! It works really well and best part is that it's up off the floor! No more getting mad at George or the dogs for messing things up!
Today I have a little potluck get together thing to go to. I decided to make chili cheese roll-ups, and here's the recipe:
Chili Cheese Roll-ups:
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of diced green chilis, drained
1 can chopped olives
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 tortillas, I like the jalepeno cheddar kind but any will do

today I did everything in the food processor which mixed everything very nicely and shredded the cheese at the same time, v. convenient :) Basically you mix together your cheeses and then mix everything else in, I didn't use the whole can of olives because there is a ton in one little can!
After everything is mixed up nicely, spread evenly on a tortilla and roll it up, then slice into little wheels. The very end pieces don't turn out well, they usually are my sampler pieces :)

They aren't super pretty but they are delicious!

granny squares and fabric and prayer

100_2960[1], a photo by colimachia on Flickr.

So, this past weekend I worked on some more granny squares. I'm up to 16, there's an additional row that I didn't get a picture of.  The original pattern calls for 20 but I kind of want it a little bit bigger so I was thinking possibly 30 finished squares. I was thinking I'd do some white sashing in between each square and then a scrappy border after that. I've been using a ton from various scrap bags that Mom gave me or ones that I picked up at the thrift and stashed away. It's fun using tiny scraps that might otherwise not get used but that I've loved the fabric and wanted to somehow be able to keep and see them. I'm really digging how bright these are turning out, course I've done that on purpose. You know, cuz I love bright colors.

So, this past weekend, Joann's was having a good sale for President's Day, where you could get extra 20% off of entire purchase for past or present military. I took advantage of this extra discount, yes I did :) I picked up mostly basic supplies like a pillow form, white fabric, sequins, and quilting safety pins. But, as I was browsing around, my eye caught this stripey fabric, which is my all-time favorite fabric! Yikes! I fought the urge to buy all they had, because frankly I don't need it....but I did buy a yard and a half. I love it for a binding and to mix in with other fabrics. It doesn't look like anything exciting but it's the perfect mixer-inner. Yup, that's a word. I thought the gray polka dot would also be a nice binding fabric. I love a stripey or dotty binding. I also thought it would be cute mixed into my granny squares.
I think I'm finally getting used to a 2 day weekend. This past one I didn't feel like every second was being wasted if I wasn't focused on sewing or reading or something useful. I went to scrapbooking, and was okay with not getting much done. It was nice to chat the day away. I have even been struggling to take the time to go to church, it's 2 hours right in the middle of the morning when I usually like to have coffee and bust out a few squares. I think this weekend I'll get back to church.
So, I had a nice reminder today when I least expected it. I was reminded by a lady at work that I should pray. This is something I know, but seldom think to do in certain situations. I know the bible says to "pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV. And, in another vein it reminded me of a theme that keeps popping up....which usually means to me that God is trying to get me to do something and I should listen up :) Let's see, where should I start this story? I'm not sure when exactly picking a word for the year entered my consciousness. But, mostly likely it was close to January, at or around this blog post by Modern Marigold.  And she maybe (?) got her word idea from this post.  I don't even know about that, it's just credited on her post so it's possible.  At the time, I thought, hmmm - what in the world would my word be?  Dunno.  and moved on.  I listen to a cd of Joyce Meyer and there is a part when she says not to worry about things, to pray instead.  At every urge to worry just pray instead.  Then, stumbled across a Guidepost that had gotten stuck in a pile of mail and wouldn't you know it?  It had Debbie Macomber on the cover and what was she talking about?  How she chooses a word to live by each year.  Yikes.  Okay so I was just starting to pay attention the recurring theme.  Last year was memorizing scripture, which, let's face it I'm not the greatest at.  So maybe this year God is like how bout I make it super easy for you and you just have to remember ONE word????  I do always ask for him to make things obvious and easy for me -grin.  Um, so that's a super long winded version of me saying that I've picked my word for the year and it's pray. 

attack of the granny squares!

So, Friday I couldn't decide if I should stay on task with my red/turquoise star quilt....or start something new.  And, I woke up Saturday dreaming about granny squares.  Literally.  In my dream I was cutting out different squares and comparing what colors would look the best together.  In my dream, and in real life I decided mostly solid backround colors and very distinct color differences would make the best combination.
What do you think?  This is what I have so far:

I think I sharted the link in the last post for the tutorial, but I'll share it again in case you don't want to scroll down.  So anyways, I woke up thinking about granny squares and just dove right in.  I made the two on the far right before the baby shower and then the rest  last night and this morning.  These are actually really dinky squares, mine came to 9 inches!  The little squares are only 2.5 inches, which for me is a little too fiddly.  I don't know how people do those postcard quilts!!!  I might lose my mind if I did.  Or not.  Who knows?  So,  the baby shower was yesterday and I gave Kristin the quilt.  I think she liked it, she said she really liked the fabric.  Hopefully she will get a lot of use out of it!
I guess that's all that's new around here.  Man, 2 day weekends sure do go fast!  I was spoiled for too long....